About this event
The State of Craft is a bi-weekly live conversation discussing the state of the legal craft cannabis industry presented by CertiCraft
In the heyday of the legacy cannabis market, you could hardly drive through Vancouver without seeing a neon green WEEDS sign. Given that WEEDS Gift and Glass grew to be Canada's largest cannabis dispensary chain in the 6 years leading up to legalization, this makes a lot of sense.
Started by longtime cannabis advocate and grower, Don Briere, WEEDS was opened with the goal of providing safe and reasonable access to cannabis for all. With Don's wife and cannabis expert, Carol Gwilt, the couple grew the franchise to an impressive 44 locations across 6 provinces.
However, this was not Don and Carol's first kick at the can.
In 2004, the dynamic couple opened Da Kine Smoke & Beverage Shop on Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC with the intention to further the normalization of cannabis. Perhaps it worked a little too well. The store garnered international attention and four months later, with large lineups and no formal complaints, 62 law enforcement officials raided the store and Da Kine was written into the history books
That didn't stop Don and Carol. In 2013 they established WEEDS Gift and Glass and expanded it into the industry mainstay it was until the advent of cannabis legalization.
Their determination in the face of discrimination, incarceration, and hostility from law enforcement is a testament to their commitment to their mission. Not even legalization could dampen their spirits.
Today, Don and Carol maintain WEEDS' commitment to make "Tried, Tested, and True" cannabis products available to Canadian cannabis consumers. With one retail location already licensed in Sechelt, BC and another about to make its grand opening on Kingsway in Vancouver, we only just begun to see what these cannabis pioneers can do.
They’ve gained tons of experience through their decades in the industry. On Episode 17, these two longtime pros will share their thoughts on the impact of legalization and what it takes to transition into the legal industry.
What does it take to wind down a national franchise and restart from scratch? What were the biggest differences between operating pre and post legalization? What would Don and Carol have done differently if they could start over?
Join us on December 3rd to find these answers and more on the State of Craft.
For Episode 17, CertiCraft presents:
Don Briere & Carol Gwilt, owners WEEDS Gift and Glass
Don and Carol are as original as OGs get and their commitment to cannabis is humbling. Almost 2 decades after their first public foray into the industry, they are about to celebrate the Grand Opening of their 2nd licensed retail store in BC, on Kingsway in Vancouver, as well as submitting an application for a micro-cultivation license for their greenhouse.
Don and Carol became the original pioneers in the retail cannabis sector when they opened Da Kine Smoke & Beverage Shop on Commercial Dr. in 2004. They were both incarcerated for their involvement with running Da Kine, but went on to help several dispensaries launch as well as opening WEEDS® in 2013, eventually growing to 44 locations active in six provinces.
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What is The State of Craft?
The State of Craft is a webinar series focused on the legal craft cannabis industry.
The rollout of cannabis legalization in Canada has been full of ups and downs. The craft cannabis industry in particular has been immensely affected by a myriad of challenges and missteps in the years following the Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations.
In The State of Craft, Sami Majadla, CEO of CertiCraft, facilitates conversations with leaders in the legal craft cannabis industry to explore what is going well and what is going not-so-well. We'll discuss what can realistically be changed at different levels of government and industry alike to address major issues the craft cannabis sector is facing, and hopefully inspire stimulating ideas of all sorts. Every episode will end with a 15 min live Q&A with our audience.
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What is CertiCraft?
CertiCraft is a compliance software system that helps small-to-medium licensed cannabis producers stay on top of their regulatory requirements. The platform has a focus on ease of use, minimal training time (<15 mins), and incredible time savings. Find out more at certicraft.com.
CertiCraft
They made it hard. We make it easy.CertiCraft is on a mission to help craft cannabis producers transition into and thrive within the new regulated market. Our flagship product is a simple compliance platform.
